Grandma’s Tomato & Fava Bean Stew

Vegetarian, high in fiber.

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Bonjour and welcome to recipe no. 9.

This time, there is no story to tell, no anecdote to share. Only this simple truth: this recipe is excellent. There, it's said with that frankness that defines me. So let it speak for itself.

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Tomato and Fava Bean Stew

Mijoté de Fèves à la Tomate

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Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 yellow onion

• 4 large tomatoes or 6 medium tomatoes

• 100 ml dry white wine (optional)

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

• Salt, pepper

• 500 g fava beans (fresh or frozen)

• 1 bunch of basil

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Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, over medium heat, pour in 4 tablespoons of olive oil.

2. Thinly slice the onion and toss it into the pot. Let it brown for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Roughly chop 4 large tomatoes or 6 medium ones.

4. Add the tomatoes and 100 ml of white wine to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30 minutes, maintaining a gentle boil.¹ Stir from time to time.

5. Next, add the fava beans and let them simmer² over low heat for another 10 minutes.

6. When serving, garnish your plate with a few fresh basil leaves.

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The Mishaps

I wanted to create this section to speak truthfully to you. For you must know: I am not a chef, I didn't learn in culinary schools. I cook from love, with my gaps, despite my overflowing library of culinary books. And no, I haven't devoured them all yet...

Here then is a rather amusing blunder: I had magnificent fresh fava beans. After freeing them from their pods, I blanched them, two minutes in boiling water then immediately seized in an ice bath. I believed, as with Brussels sprouts, that this fixed their beautiful green color. It's not wrong, but it wasn't the essential point: this gesture mainly allows you to then remove their little skin, sometimes bitter.

Of course, I only realized this once my dish was finished. There I was, retrieving each bean one by one and peeling them while burning my fingertips. Yes, I could have waited for it to cool, but time was pressing.

And then! If you choose fresh fava beans, think of gloves for shelling them. Otherwise, like me, you'll find yourself with the undersides of your nails colored for a day or two. Even scrubbing with a brush, the traces cling.

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Thank you for reading, let me know what you think in the comments!

1. Boiling (ébullition, in French) is the point at which a liquid gets hot enough to form bubbles that rise to the surface.

2. To simmer gently (or simply to simmer), (frémir, in French) means heating a liquid just below boiling point, where small bubbles form around the edges without a rolling boil.
It’s a gentle cooking method, ideal for sauces, poached eggs, or broths.